Marriage Liv, It's A Marathon Not A Sprint
by AlexJadeyy21
Summary: E/O. Liv just wants some time with El. Too much stress, work loads and life issues cause a strain on Liv & El's marriage. Since when did marriage become so hard? El makes it up to Liv in a really romantic way. (NB: I have decided to keep them as detectives with different partners). (NB: El's mom is called Elaine because I couldn't remember her name when she was in SVU).
1. Chapter 1

**Elliot had been working at the precinct most of the night. Olivia was at home with Elliot's children and Noah Elliot Stabler, their newest edition to the Stabler clan Elliot's mom Elaine had moved in with them so she would have a little bit of company.**

Olivia had just finished cleaning the house that the Stabler kids had left in a mess. Elliot and Olivia love each other so much it's just something in their lives is straining their marriage. Since Elliot's kids had moved in and Kathy had abandoned them she had to adapt to her husband's kids causing havoc in her house. They hadn't washed up their dinner plates and left all their stuff all over the place. Olivia tries to be a good step mom to Elliot's kids but they don't half test her patience. At work Liv had gotten assigned to be Fin's partner on the job whilst Elliot was assigned Munch as his.

At 11:30pm that night Elliot walked through the door meeting an eerily quiet living room the only sound was the faint theme music to 'Friends' playing on the TV and Olivia not really watching it, and Elliot's mom in her bedroom.

"Where the hell have you been its really late", Olivia shouted as her husband walked through the door.

"I'm sorry honey, Captain kept us doing a stakeout very late. What's up with you Liv?".

"Okay El. We need to talk".

"About what?".

"About us El. Were stuck in a rut. You come home at stupid hours. I mean I spend long hours at my job but I always make time for the kids. But you haven't been at home for much time recently and you're never their to read to Eli or Noah plus they always ask where daddy is. Also Lizzie & Dickie are driving me crazy they never tidy up after themselves and always give me back chat. I love them to pieces but I can't manage it all on my own El. Sometimes I think you prefer work over your family".

"Liv, I don't prefer work over-"

"No El let me finish".

"Go on"

"Sex Elliot. We've not had sex in 2 months. I mean before we had Noah together we were always having sex and now it seems like you never want to. Do you not want me anymore Elliot. Everything I do around here whether it concerns you're kids or Noah I just feel like I'm a bad mother and a bad wife. I feel like I've done something so wrong when you haven't been around much".

"Liv, sometimes I'm just not in a great mood when I come home late and you've not done anything wrong", Elliot replied not really in the mood to argue.

"Really it doesn't feel like I'm doing things right these days".

"Look, with Lizzie & Dickie you just have to shout at them that usually gets them to do things. You're a detective you'll figure something out. Eli & Noah practically spend every hour of the day with you, I really don't see what the problem is Liv, you're doing fine and plus my mom lives with us so why not ask her to do some stuff once in a while".

"What?", Liv replied slightly pissed.

"I mean you just need to chill out babe everything is okay".

"You know what for saying that you can have the couch tonight", Liv said storming off upstairs.

"FINE", Elliot shouted which was met with a slam of the door. If the kids weren't already asleep they wouldn't have been then.

That night they slept separately. Liv practically cried herself to sleep. She may be a tough bad ass detective but she did love Elliot and sometimes got upset over their relationship.


	2. Chapter 2

The following morning Liv had woken up early taken Lizzie & Dickie to school and Noah & Eli to Kindergarten. She was due at the precinct for 9am after Fin had called her to come in earlier than she was originally.

"Hey sorry I'm a little late Noah wouldn't let go of me at Kindergarten. What have we got."

"A paedophile ring operating in Queens have just raped two more girls. Both aged nine and both blonde haired", Fin stated.

"Wow both nine and blonde haired now theirs a conspiracy"

"And good morning to you Munch", Liv replied with a slight hint of sarcasm laced with a small laugh".

Liv walked over to the coffee station to make herself a cup of coffee with about 4 sugars.

"Wow Liv. That much sugar isn't like you?"

"Yeah well I had a long night".

Fin and Munch just looked at each other and sniggered.

"Not like that guys. But if I'm honest I was hoping it would go that way".

"That bad huh?".

Liv nodded as her husband walked into the precinct.

"How was court this morning El?" Fin asked.

"Not too bad the perp got life so pretty good result",

Fin & Munch could feel the tension between Liv & Elliot this morning

"So me & Liv are off to find the perps raping these girls".

And with that Liv & Fin left the precinct.

"What was that with you and Liv", Munch asked.

"What do you mean were fine Munch", El said clearly lying.

"Sorry to interrupt, El I need a word", Captain Cragen said peering round the frame of the door.

"Sure Cap I'm on my way", El said walking towards Captain's office.

"I need you and Liv to go undercover later to try and get to the bottom of a case".

"Well you could ask her but I don't think she's gonna be happy about going undercover with me".

"What you done now Elliot?"

"Spoke before thinking", Elliot said embarrased

"Been there son trust me"

"How can I fix this", Elliot asked desperate.

"Only you know how to do that Elliot", Captain replied a little concerned for Olivia who he treated like a daughter.

The working day had finished and after chasing two perps around Manhattan all day Liv just wanted to pick the kids up and just sleep.

"LIZZIE PUT YOUR SHOES IN THE PORCH. DICKIE GET ON WITH THAT MATH HOMEWORK. ELI STOP THROWING THINGS AT NOAH", Liv practically shouted a lot of things like this for about 4 hours.

"ELAINE!", Liv shouted to get her mother in law's attention over all the noise

"Liv sweetie what is it?"

"Have you heard from Elliot?"

"Working late again Fin left you a message before".

"Look I can't. Look I'm going out can you tell Elliot if he even cares. Are you okay to have the kids?".

"Yeah sweetie you go you look like you could do with a night out".

Liv went upstairs and got herself dressed in a nice black dress, heels, her hair done perfectly and a Prada bag to match. She mouthed a thank you to Elaine before leaving to go to the local bar close to the precinct.

Liv arrived at the bar and ordered herself a scotch. She texted Alex & Casey to see if they wanted to hang out but they were clearly busy. She continued to try and forget her troubles and drank some of her scotch when she was nudged ever so slightly.

"I'm do apologise miss I clearly wasn't looking where I was, Liv?"

"David? Oh my god I haven't seen you in forever".

David joined Olivia. They ordered drinks and went and sat in a booth together.

"So what do you do now?, Liv asked.

"I'm in the Corporate Law business now. What about you?".

"Detective in the Special Victims Unit of NYPD", Liv said.

"You always wanted to do that when we were in Law school didn't you".

"Yeah its the only thing I've ever been good at you know".

"Yeah. It was always your passion".

"So how's Chris?"

"Yeah he's fine he went into accounting. Actually its our anniversary on Thursday".

"Oh wow that's amazing"

"Yeah. So you with anyone?"

"Yeah my husbands called Elliot, he's also an NYPD detective and we have a son together Noah", Liv answers showing him a picture of Noah on her phone. "Also I have step kids Lizzie, Dickie & Eli".

"Wow sounds like paradise Liv".

"Yeah well there's trouble in paradise at the moment, Liv stated her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"Oh honey you wanna tell me about it", he asked not wanting to accidentally upset her more.

"Okay", Liv replied.

Liv began to explain everything to her old friend as he listened intently.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey mom", Elliot said whilst walking through the door.

"Oh hi Elliot", Elaine answered with a hint of sternness in her voice.

"Where's Liv?"

"She went out to some bar to get away from everything", Elaine explained not looking at Elliot.

"And left you alone with the kids. I can't believe her", Elliot replied.

"Elliot. I said I would be glad to and lets be honest you haven't really been around much lately so if you want to remain a married man for a little longer I suggest you go and fix this mess that you have got yourself and Liv in and start being a proper family again", Elaine said raising her voice slightly. Elliot had been such a dick towards his wife lately due to being over worked and stressed. Elliot went to the local bar hoping she would be there.

When Elliot walked in he spotted his wife holding hands across the table with a handsome stranger.

"Well well well who do we have here", Elliot said quite jealous as his detective instincts took over.

"El this is David", Liv explained.

"Oh okay so you would rather spend time with Daniel no sorry David than your own husband", Elliot replied getting slightly angry.

"Well right now I would yeah, You've been a complete ass these past few months and I was offloading onto him", Liv explained deliberately trying to upset Elliot for how he acted these past few months.

David just sat and watched as his friend and her husband were arguing with each other a little concerned for Liv.

"Why not offload onto Alex or Casey at least I know them. You didn't just pick them up in a bar", Elliot said regretting it as soon as he said it.

"So David you gonna try and bang my wife whilst I'm here or would you like me to buy you a drink first", Elliot said regretting that too.

At this point Liv picked up her drink and threw it over Elliot. Then dropped some money on the table so David could cover their tab and stormed out. Elliot realised he had gone too far and started to run after her.

"Liv wait, wait", Elliot shouted whilst running towards her.

"What is it?", Liv said still a little rattled.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said those things I was just upset. I'm really sorry".

"El, for starters I haven't been unfaithful once in our marriage or whole relationship, two DAVID, she emphasized to get her point across, is an old friend from Law school who is gay by the way so would have been more attracted to you than me and last but not least I'm going home Elliot. You're welcome to come home but you're on the couch till I'm ready to forgive you", Liv explained.

They both got in the car Liv started the engine.

"What do you mean till I'm ready to forgive you I just apologized", Elliot answered clearly in full argument mode now.

"Your behaviour tonight El what were you thinking you were like a jealous teenager", Liv said.

"I'm a detective interrogation comes naturally to me", Elliot said risking to lighten the mood.

"I know we both are but I didn't interrogate him. El we just bumped into each other nothing happened obviously he's marred to some guy named Chris", she explained.

Elliot didn't bother to fight back. He loved Liv so much he didn't realise that his long hours, moods, sleep deprivation and stress were causing her and his family misery. Their marriage was at breaking point so Elliot sat in the car thinking about what he could do to put things right in the morning.


	4. Chapter 4

After another dreadful night of sleeping apart, Liv had gone to work early and left Elliot a text to do some housework whilst she was at work. Being at work helped her get away from everything and just concentrate on being a good detective with her partner Fin. Elliot had gotten up in time to get the kids ready for school & kindergarten, drop them off, do the housework and then put his major plan into action: Operation Save My Marriage. He had to do something their constant fighting with each other was upsetting the kids. Whilst working on Operation Save My Marriage Elliot was on the phone to a 5 star hotel in New Jersey.

"Yeah I'd like a 1 bed room in your deluxe suite, with a city view, rose petals draped around the room, champagne & strawberries and its for the weekend that's right", Elliot answered on the phone.

The hotel had been very expensive but if he were to remain a married man and to Olivia then he had a lot of making up to do to her. By the time it was noon he'd booked the hotel in New Jersey, a rented Jeep (Liv had always wanted to go in one), and packed weekend bags for both of them. He had left his mom a message to pick up the kids and have them for the weekend whilst he made it up with Liv and of course Elaine didn't mind. Elliot wanted to start making things up to Liv before they even go to New Jersey so he headed down to the precinct.

"Captain can I have a word please", Elliot asked.

"Sure what can I do for you?" Captain asked as Munch and Fin walked in as Liv went to grab lunch.

"Can I borrow the precinct tonight?", Elliot asked rendering the captain confused.

"I mean, its a surprise for Liv you know to make up for being such an ass to her. I've not been the best husband these past few months and this is the start of me saving it", Elliot explained.

Captain Cragen agreed because he loved Liv like a daughter and wanted to protect her.

"Err do you want our help", Fin asked.

"Yeah Munch can you go and buy about 40 candles. Fin could you buy 8 long stemmed red roses, 1 for each year I've known and loved Liv. And Captain can you make spaghetti and meatballs so there's enough for two please, it's Liv's favourite. And I've got to finish up the last bits at home. Oh and were gonna need to take this weekend off work too", Elliot replied.

They all got on with their errands and got them back and kept them in secret places till the end of the day as Liv was just finishing an interrogation with a perp and starting on her paperwork for his case. Elliot had finished putting the bags in his rented Jeep and saying goodbye to his kids for the weekend, and thanking his mom for looking after them. He was dressed in a tuxedo ready to fight for his marriage.


	5. Chapter 5

A few hours had passed and Liv was ready to get going until Cragen stopped her.

"Liv have you got a minute? I just need to talk to you about the case", he said.

She agreed thinking it would be quite important.

"Hi", she said walking into his office a little tired.

"How are we?", Cragen asked.

 **Liv spent twenty minutes talking to Cragen about everything and asking him if what had happened had been her fault. She mentioned that being married was difficult and that you think everything is just gonna be fast and you will get through it. He reminded her that marriage was a marathon not a sprint and sometimes the fights you have with one another bring you closer than ever and that you care enough to fix the problems in your relationship.**

After this conversation Liv said "Sorry what did you want me for again?"

"Just need you to sign off this case as you forgot before".

She signed everything she needed to and headed towards his office door.

"Thanks for the chat Don, it meant a lot", Liv replied glad to have Don as a father figure.

"Not a problem Liv. See you next week", Cragen replied.

Liv thought nothing of it as she was too tired as she knew she was working tomorrow. As she walked out of the door back into the center of the precinct a tuxedo cladded Elliot stood their with a bouquet of 8 roses.

"What is this?", Liv asked "It's not our anniversary?".

"You said you wanted more time for us and lets face it I've been a total ass these past few months so this is all for us", Elliot said to Liv as Munch, Fin and Don grabbed their things and left them alone.

"I don't know what to say", Liv said smiling genuinely smiling for the first time in a while.

"These 8 roses are for each year I've known and loved you, there's your favourite meal, wine and desert too", Elliot answered.

She ran over to him and kissed him like it was their first time again. "Wait who has the kids?", she suddenly remembered breaking the kiss".

"They're fine mom has them so lets just enjoy our evening", Elliot replied as he recaptured his lips with hers again in an even more passionate kiss, that had all the tension and lust they had been carrying around for months.

"Thanks for this El it was definitely needed", Liv said to Elliot before picking up her wine glass and taking a swig.

"Babe, we needed it and it doesn't stop here", Elliot replied with the stupidest grin ever on his face causing Liv to laugh but also wonder what else he had in mind.

 **Once they had finished dinner they walked outside into the crisp, cold air of Manhattan hand in hand.**

"This isn't your car Elliot?" Liv stated pointing to said car.

"No I hired it because let's face it Jeep's are nice cars and I know you've always wanted to ride in one", El replied.

"Oh my god you still remember that conversation?", Liv questioned, as they had talked about what Liv's favourite car was when they went out on a date one night before they were married.

"Liv I may be a guy but I remember our conversations, plus that was the night I got to third base", Elliot answered.

"Yeah I thought you'd remember that", Liv said smiling.

"Right for this journey you're going to have to be blindfolded", Elliot stated to Liv.

"Ooh Detective Stabler you naughty boy", Liv replied flirtatiously.

"Look little miss smut, just put the blindfold on", Elliot replied laughing.

 **About an hour and a half had passed as Elliot pulled into the car park of the hotel before getting out of the car to give Liv a hand.**

"Stabler if I fall or hurt myself with this blindfold on I will kill you and make it look like an accident because I know how", Liv groaned getting out of the car.

 **Elliot counted to 3 and took the blindfold off of Olivia.**

"Oh my god Elliot this s like the best hotel in New Jersey", Olivia said as she read the name of the hotel and the fact it said New Jersey at the bottom.

"Come on help me get the bags out of the trunk", Elliot said.

"I can't believe you packed for me" Liv replied.

"Well I had to ask Lizzie & Casey for help in that department", Elliot confessed.

 **Elliot carried both their bags into the hotel lobby following Olivia.**

"Hi, room reservation under the name Stabler", Elliot stated.

"Sure please leave your bags here sir and our concierge will carry them to your room if you'd like to follow me", the receptionist said.

 **Liv and Elliot followed the receptionist up 2 flights of stairs before coming to the corridor outside their room and stopping.**

"The deluxe suite sir and everything you asked for inside", the receptionist told Elliot before handing him the key.

 **Elliot thanked the woman before unlocking the door and letting Olivia walk in first.**

"Wow. just wow.", Liv stated as she saw the room.

"I did good huh?", Elliot asked.

"You did better than good", Liv replied before capturing her husbands lips.

 **A knock at the door broke them apart.**

"Hello?", Elliot asked the man wo was stood outside their door.

"Your bags sir", the concierge said pulling them into the room with him.

"Oh yes thank you", Elliot said before putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out $50 to tip the gentleman.

"Thank you", The concierge said before leaving their room.

"What?", Elliot asked a thinking Liv.

"This is why Cragen said see you next week", Liv remembered her conversation with Cragen hours beforehand.

"Oh yeah that was a little lie so I could distract you", Elliot said remembering what he had done.

"So let me just go and get washed up and we can go down to the facilities in the hotel", Liv said walking towards the bathroom.

"Liv wait, why don't we just stay in the room tonight, order room service, drink champagne and watch a movie?", Elliot asked.

"Okay lets do that, but I do want to go to the shooting range tomorrow night", Liv said.

"Why do you want to go to a shooting range isn't being a detective enough shooting for you?", Elliot asked.

"Well we don't really get to shoot anybody we just threaten to and besides it would be so good", Liv stated.

"Okay go put on your sweats and I will google one for tomorrow evening", Elliot replied whilst trying to remember the name of the shooting range in his home state as best he could. He did do some of his detective training at one.


End file.
